It Started With Mercy
by GagaMidnight
Summary: When the town Kelly was residing in becomes under threat from a serial killer, she calls her father who she believes is the only one who can help her. But despite all the bad things happening, that's when she meets her father's senior agent, which sparks an instant attraction to him.
1. Chapter 1

A/N OK. I promise not to delete this one. It might not exactly focus too much on cases, and stuff even though it starts off on one but it's going to be Tony/Kelly because I think if she was alive, she'd been Tony's type and vice versa.

* * *

Kelly Gibbs stared at the sheriff of the small town, Mercy she stayed in. "That's the seventh woman that has died. This time you're out of your depth! She is a marine." she explained sounding like she had been having the conversation a million times with everybody else. She looked exhausted. Like she had not slept. Her plaid shirt that hung slightly over her jeans was creased and her eyes were blood shot. The events in the village had been keeping her awake, worrying. As she waited on her an answer, he tied her red hair into a pony tail.

"What does it matter she's a marine?" the sheriff asked her, waving his arms for effect. She didn't like him. She was glad she was moving in a month.

"Because it is NCIS territory." Kelly replied, firmly.

* * *

Leroy Jethro Gibbs was sitting in the NCIS bullpen and sipping on his Starbucks coffee. Everyone was working on reports. There was no new case, so his team were working on other ways to occupy themselves.

His cell phone suddenly began emitting its ringtone and everyone looked up, a little curious. Gibbs was about to say something until he saw the name of the caller. He stood up and walked away from the bullpen before answering.

"Hey dad! Happy birthday. Hope you're sticking to your rules. Especially rule forty four."

"Are you alright?" Gibbs asked concerned. She sounded strange. She better be alright or else he would find out why not. The adding of rule forty four did not help.

"I am fine. Hope you are sticking to rule three as well, go for a jog before work."

"Kelly sweetie I need to go. You take care "

He ended the call. That was enough information. He stormed into the bullpen. "DiNozzo. You're coming with me."

"What? Where?" Tony asked.

"Pennsylvania. A town called Mercy."

Without further questions Tony was following behind his boss, with a smile. His thoughts telling him Gibbs was on a case and he got to be the person to help him.

"Wipe that grin off of your face." Gibbs said as they got into the elevator.

* * *

Kelly began lifting medical supplies out of boxes and putting them away into their proper cupboards. "You should go home and get some sleep." the voice of her boss said, concerned.

She turned around to him and wondered if he would be have concerned about her if he did not have a massive crush on her. Even she was aware of it. That was before the town was. "I have appointments to deal with, Matt. But thanks."

He walked over to her and put both hands on her shoulders. "Go home Kelly. I will keep a handle on things here."

She sighed. "OK."

He watched her leave and then began to finishing unpacking the boxes.

* * *

She began walking home, rubbing her aching neck on the way. She could not help but look around her at all the people working, all the mothers or fathers quickly pulling their kids into the house. Leaving would have been the best option. Get away from the terror. It didn't help that the town murderer (whoever he or she was) did not want people leaving. People leaving would results in _even _more people dying. Not everyone could afford to leave. But sooner or later, it was going to end in such a bloodbath. Kelly, was leaving herself, in a month. But she made those plans before the killings happened.

She had no idea this was how bad it got but never did she want to phone her father. Things got out of hand when he "helped" her. Once, someone she'd turned down at school, Derek Reeves, developed a routine of following her after school and grabbing her arm, and even coming on to her. When she went home after punching him one day, with bruised knuckles and a suspension, her father wasn't happy. Not because she was suspended but because she didn't tell him. After that everyone guy in the school was too scared to even look at her. Kelly had no idea what exactly happened but she was pretty sure it was pleasant on Derek. She didn't want to isolated from making friends, and most of the guys, she used to talk to about baseball, soccer and football. The girls didn't really like her that much and her best friend Maddie Tyler had moved away at that point.

But incidents like what happened with Derek continued to happen. He was _too _protective of her. So much so that she felt smothered, and unable to make her own decisions. She loved her father very much, though. Him and her grandfather was the only family she had left.

Phoning her father was not only hard in terms of past experiences but she made the phone call in the bar, with everyone supervising it. It was no secret, Kelly wanted help. She wasn't one to hide that fact. So she asked for her father's in the most discrete way she could. But the events of the town worried her to the point she couldn't sleep at night, couldn't eat without being sick.

She wondered how long before it would be her, on a slab at the Sheriff's office. She wanted to be as braver than she was. Her mother was. Her father was always brave. But Kelly was not a marine, an NCIS agent or her beautiful mother who died, Kelly was a vet, someone who trusted animals more than she trusted people. People are cruel and full of politics but animals, are kind and loyal.

But at that moment in time, people poured alcoholic drinks. She needed one. She walked into the bar and asked for a bourbon.

"I hope you're keeping your mouth shut. If you're preaching gets my daughter or my wife killed, you might be next and not at the hands of the psychopath that's killing our people. You got that, Kelly Gibbs?" warned Dale Kranks who hovered over her.

"Step away from my daughter." a voice suddenly said. It was so familiar. So long since she heard it, even with the phone call in the morning. He got to her quickly.

She turned around to see her dad, and beside him was a tall man in his thirties. She couldn't help but stare. He was certainly handsome and obviously her father's senior agent. She knew he trusted him.

"Oh look you're daddy is here. I hope he's enjoying his birthday." the guy commented.

Kelly stood up and threw her arms around her dad. He kissed her forehead and then she led him outside.

"What's wrong?" Gibbs asked her. "I'm here you can tell me."

"Not here. Just follow me." she said, quietly.

She led Gibbs and his senior field agent to the Sheriff's office and took them inside. "A marine was murdered last night. That's when I realized I really had to get you in."

"When you realized?" Gibbs asked, perturbed.

"Gibbs is that..." began DiNozzo.

"What's going on, Kelly?" the sheriff asked, stepping over.

"This Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs and Special Agent..." She turned to DiNozzo. "DiNozzo?"

He smiled and nodded. "I got it right." she said. "That's the first thing today."

Gibbs head slapped his agent. "What was that for?" DiNozzo asked.

"What's going on? Special Agent? Kelly!" the Sheriff, asked looking at her.

"You need help. You've done your best. But a marine was killed last night and this is their department."

"Did you say his name was Gibbs? Is he related to you?"

"It's my dad." Kelly replied.

"You said your dad was a marine! He's an NCIS agent!" the Sheriff snapped.

"He used to be in service and there's no such thing as an ex-marine!" Kelly replied.

She turned to her dad. "About three weeks ago. Attacks started happening. They didn't seem linked. Women of all ages died in different ways. The only thing that connected them was the little origami flowers that were left in their hands. A week later, we got a note after a few people left to get away...saying that the more people who leave the more people who died."

Gibbs stared at Kelly. She looked awful. He wanted her to go home. It was obvious she hadn't been sleeping. "I'll get the rest of the information from him. You go home. DiNozzo go with her and call everyone else."

"On it boss."

The senior field agent touched Kelly's arm. "Come on." he said, leading her away.

"I'll see you later. I promise, sweetie." Gibbs said to her. Kelly nodded before letting DiNozzo lead her out.


	2. Chapter 2

**a/n Sorry about my severe writer's block. As always a big thanks to Smush68 ! :D **

* * *

"So you're trying to tell me, that for four weeks young women are being killed and you didn't bring this matter to the state police?" Gibbs asked, the Sheriff.

"How could I have?" the Sheriff responded. "The whole town is breathing down my neck. I'm the only one here. You've seen the size of this town. I'm the only one that's needed."

Gibbs drew him a look.

"The only person who wanted me to get the state police involved was your girl."

"Yeah because she's got sense." Gibbs responded. "Where are the bodies being kept?"

"At our nearest hospital. It's a few miles from here. One of the many reasons that everyone wants to move. Except people can't because whoever is doing this doesn't want us to. He left notes. Hasn't frightened off Kelly."

"Kelly's moving?" Gibbs asked.

"Didn't you know? She's going back to live in D.C. Gonna set up her own practice. Will be sorry to see that kid go."

"What kind of notes did the killer leave?"

"Used their blood to draw it into the wall."

"Do you have the crime scene photos?" Gibbs asked.

* * *

Kelly looked at Tony as he took one of those little notebooks out of his pocket. She was sitting on the chair in her living room while he sat on the sofa. A smirk appeared on her face as he fumbled around for his pen.

She waited for a while before deciding to help him. "There's one in the drawer..." She nodded her head to the sideboard. "over there."

Tony smirked and stood up. "Thank you. That's kind of you."

"Anything for you." Kelly said with another smile as Tony approached the sideboard. He turned around and smiled back. The DiNozzo, one hundred watt smile, before turning back to the sideboard and opening the drawer, where tons of pens lay. He took one out and then walked back to the sofa.

"My dad's told me a lot about you." Kelly informed him. "He said you were his best agent. I think he's real proud of you."

"Really?" Tony asked, grinning.

Kelly nodded. "He also said you were a goofball. He didn't say you were handsome though."

Tony swallowed. This was worse than jailbait. "I need to ask you some questions Kelly."

"I am sorry. I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable. I am drunk on lack of sleep and I have no self control."

The way she said that made Tony laugh. How on earth was this Gibbs' daughter? "I would offer you coffee or something, but since we don't have a decent coffee shop around here and my coffee maker is broken then I won't. I do have a bottle of Jack Daniels but you can't drink alcohol on the job." Now he saw it.

"When was the first victim?" Tony asked.

"Four weeks ago. I think." Kelly answered.

"Did anyone new come to town then? Did you notice anything different?" Tony asked her.

"Not that I can think of."

"Can you think of anyone who might have -"

"There's a bunch of ass holes and red necks in this place but I can't imagine any of them as murderers."

"Were you close to any of the victims?" Tony asked.

"No. I am not really close to anyone. Except their pets." replied Kelly. She stood up and stretched as she made her way into the kitchen. When she came back out she had a bottle of bourbon with her. "Sorry special agent DiNozzo. But it's been a long day."

"I think it's been a long month." Tony commented.

"You're telling me. Barely slept. I have went through all 23 James Bond movies this week. Last week I watched three seasons of Supernatural. The week before that was Kojak."

"Who loves ya baby?" Tony joked.

"You've seen it?"

"TV is a pastime for me. And movies."

Kelly sat back down. "I remember when I was little. My dad used to watch westerns with my mum. I think he still has that same television." She shivered.

"Yeah. He still has it."

"I bought tons of videos but I had to take them over to my friend Maddie's. It was you who saved her life I think. Thank you for that, and you saved my dad's too. But then again you always have his six."

"Yeah." Tony nodded.

The door to the living room opened and Kelly stood back up as her dad came into the room. She walked over and hugged him. "I am here." he said softly.

"Tony was just asking me some questions about what's been happening." Kelly explained to her dad when she pulled away.

Gibbs looked around him. "You've not started boxing things yet."

"I have a few weeks." Kelly responded. "And grandpa said he was going to come and help me...Hang on how did you know I was moving?"

"Sheriff told me."

"Oh. I was going to tell you." Kelly replied, feeling guilty.

"Yeah." Gibbs uttered. "Well you can start packing clothes. You're going to DC with Tony when Ziva and McGee get here."

"Oh no I'm not." Kelly replied.

"It wasn't a request, Kelly."

"You're not my boss. I"m old enough and ugly enough to make my own decisions. I don't even have a place to stay yet."

"You'll stay back home."

"This is my home!"

"No it's not." Gibbs replied.

"I don't want to leave." Kelly replied.

Tony sat and stared at the staring contest Gibbs and Kelly were not engaged in and felt awkward.

"I don't want to leave you on your own while you...whoever is doing this...I'm scared, dad."

"That's why you're going home." Gibbs said before walking over and kissing her forehead. "We'll find out what's going on."

Kelly nodded.

"Get some sleep for now."

"Boss, wouldn't Ziva be better -" Tony began when Kelly left.

"Why? Is it going to be a problem if you watch her, Tony?"

"Emm...no. Absolutely not, boss." Tony replied.

"Good."

* * *

"I hear you two are heading out to Mercy." Ducky said to McGee and Ziva. "Do send my regards to dear Kelly."

"I didn't know Gibbs' daughter lived out of the city." McGee said to Ducky.

"Well she moved out after she finished college. I believe her and her father weren't seeing eye to eye." Ducky answered. "Gibbs was very protective of her."

"Well that's Gibbs for you." Abby said behind Ducky. "He wouldn't want anyone hurting Kelly. He's daddy bear. So when do we leave?"

"We?" McGee asked. "You're staying here Abby."

"But I want to meet Giblet." Abby said sadly and with a pout. "I mean you guys are all going to. I want to know if she's like Gibbs or her mum or both or maybe she's completely different. I want to ask what it was like having Gibbs as a father, besides the overprotective thing. But it must have been so cool!"

"I'm sure you'll meet her one day, Abby." Ziva assured her.

"I'm sure Gibbs won't mind. I can come back with my evidence that I'm waiting on." Abby replied.

"Abbs." McGee said, firmly.

"Fine." she uttered before hugging McGee and Ziva. "Drive safely."

McGee looked at Ziva and winced. That was a matter of opinion.


End file.
